Illuminated sign



Sept. 27, 1932. w. A. D. EVANS 1,879,147

ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed May 13, 1930 INVENTOR O 9 BY Q '4" ATTORNEYPatented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM AUGUSTUSDARLING EVANS, F SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO GEN- ERAL ELECTRICVAPOR LAMP COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEWJERSEY ILLUMINA'IED SIGN Application filed May 13, 1930; Serial No.451,882.

The present invention relates to electric signs generally and moreparticularly the invention relates to signs in which an ilhuninatedbackground is viewed through suitable openings in the faces of signs ofthe type disclosed in copending application Serial Number 448,478, filedApril 30, 1930.

In the sign of the above reference the illuminated background comprisestwo curved 1O battles being in shape approximately a segment of acylinder, curving outwardly from each other and located above a linearlight.

source with one of their longitudinal edges located approximately in avertical plane having therein the median line of said linear lightsource. The bafiies are then illuminated by the direct light from thelight source and by the light reflected by the interior walls of thesign.

The object of the present invention is to provide means whereby thebackground of such a sign is lighted more intensely and uniformly thanin the sign of the foregoing reference. A further object of theinvention is to provide such a sign the interior parts of which areeasily accessible. A still further object of the invention is to providesuch a sign in which a multiplicity of faces having various anddifferent legends may be used. Still further objects and advantagesattaching to the device and to its use and operation will be apparentfrom the following particular description and from the claims.

The invention attains the first of its objects by means of a suitablereflector placed below the linear light source to direct the lightemitted by said source onto the curved backgrounds of the sign locatedabove said source.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification anembodiment of the invention is shown for purposes of di" closure inwhich,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the new and novel sign, theposition of the linear light source being indicated by dotted lines, andone of the removable faces shown partly removed.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Like numbers denote like parts in both views of the device.

Referring to the drawing the invention comprises a substantially lighttight box 3 having suspension supports 4, 4. Opaque faces 5, havingsuitable openings therein to form desired symbols, slide along a grooveas shown in Fig. 2. When in their fixed position said sign faces areheld in place by bolts through openings 6, 7 of the face 5, 5 and 8, 9of the flanges 10, 10 as shown in Fig. 1. The sign faces are thus easilyand quickly removable and yet are maintained firmly in a fixed positionin said sign.

Reflector 17 is placed below the linear light source 18 to direct thelight emitted by the light source 18 onto baflies 16, 16. Said reflector 17 in shape approximates a parabola and said source 18 islocated approximately at the focal point thereof so-that the light 76beams from source 18 strike the reflector and are directed verticallyonto said curved baflies 16, 16 to produce a more uniform and moreintense illumination thereof than it is possible to attain in such anarrangement without said reflector 17. By this invention not only thedirect light from source 18 and the light. reflected from the walls ofbox 4 and the inside of faces 5, 5 but also the light from reflector 17strike the baffles 16, 16 so that substantially all of the light emittedbysaid sourcel8 is directed'onto said bafiles 16, 16 to furnish anintensely and uniformly illuminated background to be viewed from eitherside of the signthrough' openings in thefaces 5, 5 thereof. V i I As thefaces of the sign are easily removable a multiplicity of faces bearingvarious legends may be used in conjunction with such a sign. The new andnovel feature of removable faces has many advantages as the wholeinterior of thesign is then easily accessible this beingparticularlyadvantageous in replacing or repairing the light source 18 or incleaning the baffles 16, 16 of accumulations of light absorbingmaterial. 1

Said baflles 16, 16 and said faces 5, 5 may have any suitable color; Thebaffles 16, 16 should be coated with a diffusing surface having a colorwhich reflects the light rays emit- 100 gul ted by light source 18. Tomake the sign effective in daylight when the light source is notoperating, said battles and said faces should be of contrasting colors.Applicant has found that white colored baffles and black colored facesare especially suitable for use in a sign of this type when a neon lampin the trough of the reflector to give the char acteristic lightradiation of the multiple light source, or said battery of lamps can beoperated alternately or in such combinations as to give single andvaried color light eflects.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of theinvention it Will be understood that various changes, substitutions andmodifications in the form and details of the device may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departure from the broad spirit and scope ofthe invention. For example, a single linear baflie may be used insteadof the curved baflies 16 and the curve of the reflector 17 altered tocollect and project the light radiations of the tube 18 onto the twofaces of said straight baflie to the end that all of the light from saidlamp 18 is projected in a light field evenly distributed onto and infront of said faces.

I claim as my invention:

1. An illuminated sign comprising a substantially light tight box havingapertures constituting a legend in the face thereof, a substantiallylinear light source mounted within said box, a reflector having adiffusing surface for said light source Within said box and visiblethrough said apertures, and a parabolic reflector within said box todirect the light of said source in a beam to said diffusing reflector,the first named reflector having a distinctive color and the exteriorface of the box having the said apertures therein having a differentcolor.

2. An illuminated sign comprising a substantially light tight box havingapertures constituting a legend in the face thereof, a substantiallylinear light source mounted Within said box, a reflector having adiflusing surface for said light source within said box and visiblethrough said apertures, and

a parabolic reflector within said box to direct the'light of said sourcein a beam to said diffusing reflector, the first named reflector havinga white difl'using surface and the exterior face of the box having saidapertures therein having a black color.

Signed at Hoboken in the county of Hudson and state of N ew Jersey this12th day of May, A. D. 1930.

WILLIAM AUGUSTUS DARLING EVANS.

